4 key series for the St. Louis Cardinals in June

Houston Astros June 3rd-5th, away

To most people's surprise, the Houston Astros were as bad as the Cardinals for the first quarter of the season. The Astros are 11-7 in their last 18 games, and they've clawed their way back up in the middling American League West to now be relevant once again.

For almost a decade, the Astros have been mentioned in the same breath as the best teams in baseball. They've made it to 7 straight American League Championship Series, and they've won 2 World Series during that span. The former division rivals have found plenty of success after their demolition and subsequent rebuild in the early 2010s.

The Cardinals and Astros don't face off nearly as often since the Astros moved out of the National League Central, so every time the two face off history abounds. All three games will be in Houston from June 3rd through June 5th. The three games come smack in the middle of a 10-game stretch without an off day. The Cardinals will return home after being on the road against the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and now the Astros to face off against the Colorado Rockies.

Given the lighter series immediately after this one, the Cardinals will be able to field their best players and not worry about the next set of games as much.

Going into enemy territory against a team as potent as the Astros have been in recent years is daunting. Add on the fact that the Astros are one of the hottest teams in baseball in the last two weeks, and this series could go terribly. If the Cardinals were to win the series, it would send a message to the league.